[Press Release_0817]A family member of Sewol Ferry victims baptized by the Pope

작성자 : 방한준비위원회작성일 : 2014-08-18조회수 : 1605

A family member of Sewol Ferry victims, Hojin Lee, Baptized by the Pope in the morning, August 17

Hojin Lee, the father of a Sewol ferry victim, was baptized by the Pope in the baptismal name of Francis on August 17 at the Apostolic Nunciature in Korea.

According to the Apostolic Nunciature in Korea, the baptismal ceremony was conducted at 7:00 a.m. He was accompanied by his son and daughter, and a priest of Suwon dioceses responsible for the churches in Ansan district, where he currently resides. It has been told that one of the staff at the Apostolic Nunciature was Lee’s godfather. The ceremony was conducted approximately for an hour and a photo posted on SNS is said to be taken by Lee’s daughter, A-Reum Lee.

According to official records, it is the first time in 25 years that the Pope baptized a Korean laity since Korean Catholics were baptized by Pope John Paul II. It was October 7, 1989 that 12 youths, who were receiving catechumen doctrines and disciplines to prepare for baptism, were baptized by Pope John Paul II during the “Holy Communion for the Youth” event hosted as a part of the 44th International Eucharistic Congress held in Seoul.